Child rights activist says enough proof of underage prostitution

A YouTube screen grab of the documentary which reveals the extant of underage prostitution in Malaysia. – September 23, 2014.

A child rights advocate who appeared in a recent documentary on underage sex trafficking in Malaysia has denied attacking the police, but said she had assisted the police in providing them with information before.

Dr Hartini Zainuddin (pic, right) was responding to a statement by Bukit Aman's secret societies, gambling and vice division principal assistant director, SAC Datuk Roslee Chik, who criticised her for not furnishing evidence of her claims of underage sex trafficking.

Hartini, who was interviewed in a video titled "Trapped – The underage sex industry in Malaysia", said that some of the girls involved in prostitution had forged documents to hide their real age.

"To say I've never stepped forward to provide information to the authorities is not true. I always have and always will," the activist told The Malaysian Insider, adding that she has a good relationship with Bukit Aman's D11 (Sexual and Child Investigation Division).

"Maybe he (Roslee) wants to meet with us more often so we can assist them with gaps and provide more information. No one is attacking police - we're saying there are huge gaps collaboration and system."

The 22-minute video documents the underage sex trade in Kuala Lumpur and features interviews with the police, child activists, psychologists and three underage sex workers seasoned in their trade.

The video, the result of two years of research by journalists Mahi Ramakrishnan and Rian Maelzer, has so far received more than 155,000 views on YouTube.

Mahi told The Malaysian Insider that she stumbled on the story of foreign children used in the sex trade by accident, saying she had never imagined that such a thing was happening in Malaysia.

"I never knew that such a thing existed in Malaysia. I mean, everyone knows that this happens in Thailand but I really had no idea that the underage sex trade was alive and well here," she had said.

In its response, Bukit Aman downplayed the video, and said it was wrong to use the word "industry" to describe the problem.

"Sex is not an industry in Malaysia, the term 'sex activities' is more accurate," Roslee was reported saying, adding that "industry" implied that the profits derived from prostitution in Malaysia was as big as in Thailand, where prostitution is legal.

Hartini questioned this and asked if Bukit Aman was equating underage sex trafficking with gambling.

"Bukit Aman said there is a difference between an illegal activity and syndicate. That underage sex trafficking is an illegal activity here. Like gambling? Shouldn't we make it a crime? Didn't we sign the UN protocol  on sale of children for prostitution and pornography, making it a crime?"

Meanwhile, Damansara Utama assemblyman Yeo Bee Yin (pic, left) took the police to task for attempting to whitewash the issue, saying she was greatly disturbed by Bukit Aman's response to the video.

"How is a RM3 billion prostitution market not an 'industry' but an 'activity to Bukit Aman? Bukit Aman should not take the problem of illegal sex trade lightly," she said in a statement.

She noted that Havocscope, an international organisation that specialises in collecting global black market information, estimates that the size of the black market value of prostitution in Malaysia was US$963 million (RM3.1 billion).

"Is a RM3 billion illegal sex trade market not big enough to be considered an 'industry' to Bukit Aman?"

"Such lukewarm attitude towards the complex problem is not acceptable," said Yeo, referring to Roslee's response.

Yeo said Bukit Aman should instead focus on providing solutions to deal with the problem.

"The video highlighted the glaring issue of underaged sex workers, we need to know how many children - foreign or local - are kidnapped, cheated or trafficked into selling their bodies and what we can do to help them."

She pointed out that the issue of human trafficking was also highlighted in the video, which should serve as a reminder to Putrajaya on Malaysia's "Tier 3" ranking by the US over its poor progress in fighting human trafficking.

"The video reveals shocking facts about Malaysia that most Malaysians are not aware of.

"As a responsible government, instead of brushing aside, finding fault or denying it, it is better to find solutions to this complex problem, through better legislation and enforcement," she added.

- TMI